Aniki
by NekoMimi03
Summary: Dento has a nightmare and misses his brothers. Pod can't sleep and thinks of his brother. Two shot. Rated T for no particular reason.
1. Lonely Night

_Shippo City Pokemon Center, late night_

Dent slipped out of his vest and placed his bag at the foot of his bed, while Ash and Iris collapsed against their own beds, instantly falling asleep under the soft, checked quilts.

He smiled and turned off the light switch, before settling under the cool blankets, drifting off to sleep within minutes.

It was that dream again… His worst nightmare, all his fears traveling across time and rationalization to make him tremble. The mother and father left their three sons alone in the extravagant mansion.

_He hurried through the halls, panicked and lost. The walls were shrinking, closing in on him.  
He ran, breaths coming in gasps, floor tiles dropping in to a dark abyss after his dress shoes left them. He continued, scared out of his wits, until he met a dark, dead end.  
The last checkerboard tile fell melted from under him. He fell, and the darkness consumed him. _

Dent bolted up right, drenched in cold sweat. Blind in the dark, he felt for a comforting hand, another person who would let him hang on tight, whisper in his ear that he wasn't the only one abandoned.

Finding nothing, he lay still, noticing a light in the hallway that sent dim light across the figures of two children sleeping peacefully, just feet away.

He remembered. His brothers weren't here. No Pod or Corn to comfort him. He was alone, with two all but strangers.

He thought it would be a good idea to go on a journey, to better himself as a gym leader, but now, in the dark, scared and lonely, he just wanted to be home with his brothers.

* * *

**A very short one shot, written in a little less than an hour. Dento's parents abandoning them is completely a concept made up by me; it's not true. **

**I just thought Dento might miss his brothers, since he's now forced to hang out with Ash and Iris, who apparently care more about food than Pokemon battling. **

**Seriously, we're eight episodes in and it feels like there's more nasty food eating sounds and pig outs than actual content. Oh, and I call him "Dento", but "Dent" looks better in text.**

**Anyway, be nice in your reviews. No flames, please.**


	2. A Parallel Sleepless Endeavor

_Aniki (Brothers) Chapter Two:_

_A type of introduction-_

Dent, Pod, and Corn had always been questioned about their hair. If they were triplets, the "Trial Triangle" gym leaders, the brotherly butlers, why wasn't their hair the same color? Or only two colors for that matter, because they shared two parents?

There were plenty of guesses. One of them dyed their hair; their mother ate food with artificial coloring when she was pregnant and it had a diverse effect on their hair coloring; maybe one of them wound up with the recessive gene; the theories got weirder every day.

But when you covered the hair, or ignored their eyes- which was incredibly hard to do, they were so freaking bright and vibrant and pretty and inviting- they did look alike. Their noses were the same, and so was their face shape.

It didn't matter what you thought, it was obvious to the trio that they had a bond strengthened by good times and hardship alike. But that didn't mean they weren't different on the inside. No, no, they were far from identical.

Dent was quiet, full of manners, and good at cooking. He was the youngest of the trio, and, surprisingly, the most sensitive. He was charismatic and sunny most of the time, but had a melancholy side.

Corn didn't have much to say, and was sometimes called cold due to his indifference to certain subjects. But when he was interested, you bet he'd talk your ear off.

Pod was the loud, fiery, opinionated elder of the three, the chatterbox, and the most energetic.

Their parents had left on a tour of the world when the triplets were five, almost abandoning them with the maid, Maria, and butler, Sebastian.

Back then, Dent had cried nonstop and couldn't sleep in his own bed without nightmares plaguing him, and even now, no matter how hard he tried, he'd always come crawling in to Pod's bed in tears in the early hours of the morning.

Corn had similar problems, where the cold and silence of his own bed strangled him, making him question if he was there or not, spending him in to a type of dark, numb apathy he was deadly frightened of. He was too scared to try and get along on his own; instead he climbed into bed with Pod as soon as his older brother fell asleep.

Pod was the rock, sturdy and reliable. He helped his siblings as best he could; he was the shoulder to cry on, and his brothers returned the favor on his bad days.

They were their own little family, and sure, they were missing a couple people, but that just made them closer.

* * *

Tonight Pod lay in bed, Corn laying under the blankets to his right, moonlight from the window illuminating his younger brother's sleeping figure.

Pod glanced at the clock, bright numbers reading 3:42 in the morning. He sighed, looking to his left, across the empty pillow, at the closed door. He tried to pretend Dent was going to come stumbling in, eyes blurred with tears, and climb in next to him, but failed miserably. He'd never been good at pretending anything. He sighed again, and rolled to his other side, turning his back to the door.

He curled up to Corn's side, tired, but wide awake.

Corn's eyes blinked open sleepily, and Pod closed his eyes, feigning sleep, too proud to admit he'd consciously snuggle up to anyone.

He felt Corn shift, rolling on to his side to face his older brother, Corn's breath tickling his nose. He felt Corn's hand find find his, and tighten around it.

"He didn't mean to just run out like that. I bet he's missing us as much as we miss him." He heard Corn's voice tremble. "_Kimi wa daijoubu desu yo. Nazeka bokutachi wa daijoubu desu yo_."

Pod frowned, and, eyes downcast, silently nodded.

* * *

**Ta-dah! Second chapter; merry early Thanksgiving break! Here's your present! :D**

**I think this came out pretty well, explaining Dento, Poddo, and Korn's (fannon) relationship as very close brothers. What do you think, Faithful Reader? Please review. Constructive criticism it allowed but no flames!**

**Note: _"Kimi wa daijoubu desu yo. Nazeka bokutachi wa daijoubu desu yo."_ translates to "You'll be okay. Somehow, we'll be okay."  
This line comes from the opening "Best Wishes!", with my own personal spin.**

**Oh, and I forgot the disclaimer last chapter, so here it is now. _NekoMimi03 doesn't own any aspects of the Pocket Monster franchise. If she did, she'd be rich and get awesome free Pocket Monsters folders and plush toys and cell phone charms. _**


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